Utheman Posted October 5, 2009 Report Share Posted October 5, 2009 PAM experts please chime in. I need to open the back of my Fiddy case to reattach a screw and wheel that came loose. The case has a display back. Can I use a sticky ball to open it, or will this break the glass on the display back? I can post a picture later if needed, just can't do it from work. tia, W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWG Technical Posted October 5, 2009 Report Share Posted October 5, 2009 You can't break the glass with a rubber ball...have at it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utheman Posted October 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 You can't break the glass with a rubber ball...have at it... Thank you TZ. I'll try it. It probably needs a real case opener anyway, but we'll see what happens. w Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWG Technical Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 Fiddy's can be a problem, even with an opener. I find them snug or tighter than the hinges of hell...hopefully yours is the snug variety. If it proves troublesome, you can always freeze the caseback with an icecube to shrink it slightly... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utheman Posted October 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 .... you can always freeze the caseback with an icecube to shrink it slightly... Hey, good tip! How about putting it in the freezer for a few hours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utheman Posted October 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 After trying to wind the watch, I noticed something was wrong. I got the back off with the sticky ball without too much effort and extracted the screw and spacer/washer? (Not really sure what that's called). Put the parts back in position and soon found out how lame I am at this type of work. I tried to get the screw threaded back in for about 45 min. before I gave up. I suppose if I had better screw drivers and not so clumsy fingers, I might have been able to get it. I know I really know very little about this type of work, but am I missing something else? It felt like the wheel meshed ok with the stem gears and seemed to be able to wind ok (I only turned it very little). Should the screw be installed with the stem pulled out in the time setting position? Well, that's it for now until I get up the nerve to try again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neuuubeh Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 (edited) This screw winds the other way I believe . Has its thread in the opposite direction as usual so to say It doesnt matter in what position the stem is, all the screw is doing is making sure the wheel stays flush and not disengage. Edited October 6, 2009 by Neuuubeh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francisco Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 This screw winds the other way I believe . Has its thread in the opposite direction as usual so to say It doesnt matter in what position the stem is, all the screw is doing is making sure the wheel stays flush and not disengage. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWG Technical Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 As stated, this is a Left hand threaded screw, you screw it in by turning it in what would be the "Lefty loosy" direction. Stem position etc makes no difference, just screw it back in place. On the freezer question, it would not work because the whole watch would be cold, the idea is to have the case warm and the caseback cold which will case the caseback to shrink slightly relative to the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utheman Posted October 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 Thank you Zigmeister, Neuuubeh, and Fransisco for your input on this. I'll attack it again tonight and hopefully get it fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utheman Posted October 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 OK guys, I got the watch fixed. Minor surgery at best, but for me a big deal since this was my first watch repair. It took me about 1 min. to put the screw back in once I knew which way it was supposed to turn. It took me longer to get the watch open. It took about 10x longer to get the caseback on correctly... why are some casebacks so hard to do? Anyway, without guys like you in this place, I would have been lost and probably paid a watchsmith some $$ to do such a simple job. Anyway, thanks again Zigmeister, Neuuubeh, and Fransisco. I love this place. w Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neuuubeh Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 Casebacks can be annoying, the threads have to align, everything should be flat and the rubber gasket has STAY in its groove. As for the movements themselves, I've been messing around with some old ones for a week or two, its quite surprising what they can go thru and still function properly. They are built quite sturdily.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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